Discharge mechanism for vacuum-tanks.



W. H. EGGERT.

' VDISGHARGE MECHANISM FOR VACUUM TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 2, 1910.

Patented June 7, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

EZO rn @is W.v H. EGGERT.

DISCHARGE MBGHANISM PoR VACUUM TANKS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. z, 1910. A

Patented June 7, 1910.

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WILLIAM H. EGGERT, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO J'. P. DEVINE COMPANY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

DISCHARGE MECHANISM FOR VACUUM-TANKS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVlLLIAM H. EGGERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Discharge Mechanisms for Vacuum-Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanisms which are employed for discharging grain or other material from vacuum grain driers and similar apparatus without interfering' with the maintenance of the vacuum therein, and more particularly to improvements in discharging mechanisms such as disclosed, for instance, in Letters Patent No. 955,606, granted April 19, 1910, to Eugene Moreau, assignor to J. P. Devine Company.

The discharging apparatus disclosed in the Moreau application comprises a receiving chamber or receptacle for the material, an inlet valve which controls the admission of the material from the drying chamber or drum to this receiving chamber, an outlet valve which controls the discharge of the material from the receiving chamber, and means for exhausting air from this receiv` ing chamber to prevent air from entering the vacuum tank when the inlet valve is opened.

In the operation of the discharging mechanism, the inlet valve is opened and the material is discharged from the drying chamber into the receiving chamber, the outlet thereof being closed. After the inlet is closed, the outlet valve is opened to discharge the material from the receiving chamber and is closed again before opening the inlet valve. Air enters the receiving chamber when the outlet valve is opened, and after closing the outlet valve this air is exhausted from the receiving chamber so that no air will enter the drying chamber when the inlet valve is again opened. The outlet valve is thus exposed externally to atmospheric pressure and internally to the lesser pressure existing in the receiving chamber, so that in order to open the valve the atmospheric pressure thereon has to be overcome. As the valve is-large, considerable power is required to open it. This is especially true in the case of a swinging valve such as shown, which opens outwardly against the atmosphere. Furthermore, the air entering the receiving chamber when the Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed March 2, 1910.

Patented J une *7, 1910. Serial No. 546,917.

outlet valve is open interferes with the discharge of the material from the receiving chamber and produces an objectionable noise.

The object of the invention is to overcome these diiiiculties, and this object is attained by admitting air to the receiving chamber to break the vacuum therein after the inlet valve has been closed and before the outlet valve is opened.

ln the accompanying drawings, consisting of two sheets: .Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a discharging mechanism for grain drying apparatus embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a portion of the mechanism showing a different position of the valves. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation thereof in line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. et is an elevation of the relief valve and its actuating means. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the relief valve. Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view, on an enlarged scale, in line 6-6, Fig. 4.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the several gures.

A represents a portion of a drying chamber or vacuum tank which may be of any suitable construction and in which the desired vacuum is maintained by any suitable exhaust apparatus. In the following description, the apparatus is referred to as a grain drying apparatus for the sake of brevity, but the invention may also be applied to apparatus which operate upon other materials which are dried or treated in an exhausted chamber or tank.

The apparatus shown for discharging the grain or other material from the drying chamber is constructed as follows:

B represents a distributing trough which receives the grain from the discharge opening of the vacuum tank and is provided in its semi-cylindrical bottom with discharge openings Z) 7) which are alternately opened and closed by a rock distributing valve b2.

C C represent two preliminary receiving chambers arranged respectively below the discharge openings b and provided in their hopper-shaped bottoms with discharge openings c c', respectively.

D D represent two main receiving chambers which are arranged respectively beneath the preliminary chambers C C and are provided in their hopper-shaped bottoms with outlet openings CZ cl.

The openings c c, leading from the pre liminary chambers C C to the main chambers D D, are controlled by upper or inlet valves E E respectively, and the outlet openings of the main chambers are controlled by outlet valves F F, respectively. The valves E E and F F shown are swinging or pivoted valves mounted to swing upwardly against their seats in closing. The main chambers D D discharge into a chamber G Which connects with a discharge spoutV or conveyer and is open to the atmosphere. The out-let valves F F are therefore, when closed, exposed on their under or outer sides to the atmospheric pressure.

The main receiving chamber D is provided, preferably in one side thereof. with a suction opening Zt controlled by a valve H arranged in a chamber Zt which is connected with the exhaust apparatus b y a pipe or passage h2, so that the valve chamber is exhausted and the receiving chamber is placed in communication with the exhaust by open ing the valve H. The other main receiving chamber D is similarly provided with a suction opening h3 controlled by a valve H in a chamber 7b4 having an exhaust pipe or passage h5.

The operation of thc discharging mechanism is as follows: Assuming the distributing valve b2 to stand in the position shown in Fig. l, in Which it places the preliminary chamber C in communication with the distributing trough, the preliminary chamber C receives the grain from the trough until filled, the discharge valve E of this chamber being closed. The suction valve H of the main chamber D is closed and the discharge valve F thereof is open, so that the grain which was previously delivered to this chamber discharges therefrom into the bottom chamber G and thence to the discharge spout or conveyer. At the same time the other preliminary chamber C is cut oif from the distributing trough B by the distributing valve and the grain in this chamber is discharged into the main chamber D', the upper valve E being open and the out-let valve F closed, and the exhaust valve H being also closed. The distributing valve Z22 is next shifted so as to cut off the preliminary chamber C and deliver the grain to the other preliminary 4chamber C', the outlet valve F of the main chamber D is closed, the exhaust valve H thereof is opened, whereby this chamber is placed in communication With the exhaust and air is removed Which entered the chamber when the outlet valve was open and is thus prevented from entering the vacuum tank when the upper valve E is next opened. The upper valve E is then opened and the grain flows from the preliminary chamber C into the main chamber D to be discharged from this chamber, as above explained. By duplicating the preliminary and main receiving chambers and accessories and n'oviding the distributing trough and valve, the tivo sets can be operated alternately to produce a practically continuous discharge of the grain. ri single set may be employed, however, if desired.

rl`he mechanism as thus far described is constructed like the Moreau discharge mechanism and the valves are operated by mechanism like that shown in the Moreau application. In so far the present invention is concerned, however, the various valves may be of any suitable construction and operated by any suitable mechanism which Will actuatc the valves at the proper time to produce the described operation of the apparatus.

The following means are shown for breaking the vacuum in the main receiving chambers D D or equalizing the pressure on opposite sides of the outlet valves F F of these chambers to enable these valves to be more readily opened and to obviate the objcclions before noted.

i I represent air admission openings in the main chamber D D, respectively, and l l represent relief valves respectively controlling the openings l I. ln the construction shown in the drawings, see espe-A cially Figs. 2 6, the air admission openings I l are located in the side Walls of the hopper bottoms of the main chambers D D', and slide relief valves K K are employed which are mounted in guides on the outer ends of hollow fittings 7c secured to the chambers D D and are provided With holes 100 adapted to register with the passages through the fittings Z2. The valves are pressed tightly against the outer faces of the fittings ZJ so as to prevent the leakage of air past the valves when closed by spring-pressed guide 105 bars 7J which bear against the outer faces of the valves. Fach valve is connected to one end of an actuating rod 7a2 which is slidably mounted on aI suitable stationary bracket or support by bolts or pins 7a3 passing through 110 slots in the bracket.

L L represent cams secured to driven rotary shafts Z Z for operating the relief valves K K, respectively. The valve actuating rods Zag preferably have forked ends 115 which are held against the periphery of these cams by springs Z2 connected to the rods and to the supports therefor, as shown in Fig.

6. The cams move the valves in one direction, for instance to open the air admission 120 openings, and the springs return or close the valves. The operating cams L L for the relief valves are arranged and operated so that the relief valve of each receiving chamber is opened after a charge of grain has 125 been delivered to the chamber and the upper or inlet valve E or E thereof is closed, and before the outlet valve F or F thereof is opened to disch arge the grain, the relief valve being held open long enough for the 13o air admitted to the receiving chamber thereby to break the vacuum in the chamber, or to balance the pressure on opposite sides of the outlet valve F or F so that this valve will open readily. The relief valve is closed again preferably before the outlet valve F or F is opened to discharge the material from the receiving chamber, or at least before the exhaust valve I-I or H is opened to exhaust the air from the receiving chamber, and no air can enter the vacuum tank by Way of the relief valve.

The relief valve can be of any other suitable construction and operated by any suitable means Which times the movements of the valve as described With respect to the operation of the other valves.

I claim as my invention:

l. In an apparatus for discharging material from a vacuum tank, the combination of a receiving chamber, an inlet valve which controls the delivery of material from the tank to said chamber, an outlet valve which controls the discharge of material from said chamber and is exposed on opposite sides to unequal pressures, means for exhausting air from said chamber when said valves are closed, and means for equalizing the pressure on opposite sides of said outlet valve in advance of the opening thereof, substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for discharging material from a vacuum tank, the combination of a receiving chamber, alternately operating inlet and outlet valves which respectively control the delivery of material from the tank to said chamber and the discharge of material from said chamber, said outlet valve being exposed to the atmosphere, means for exhausting air from said chamber `When said valves are closed, a relief valve for said chamber, and means for operating said relief valve to admit air to said chamber in advance of the opening of said outlet valve, substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus for discharging material from a vacuum tank, the combination of a receiving chamber having an exhaust passage, an inlet valve Which controls the delivery of material from the tank to said chamber, an outlet valve Which controls the discharge of material from said chamber and is exposed to the atmosphere, an exhaust valve Which is operated to open said exhaust passage When said inlet and outlet valves are closed, a relief valve controlling an air admission opening in said chamber, and means for opening said relief valve in advance of the opening of said outlet valve and closing said relief valve before said exhaust passage is opened, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand, this 25 day of February, 1910.

WILLIAM H. EGGERT.

Witnesses:

W. STROHN, HARRY B. LAMsoN. 

